Kashibai Peshwe

Part 13- Two sides of a coin

Radhabai's day began at dawn when her eyes opened involuntarily from years of practice. Her routine kept her maids on tenterhooks. It was not easy for them to keep pace with her energy. After her ablutions the erstwhile Peshwin spent an hour in the devghar offering puja to the family idols without overlooking a single ritual. Only then would she break her fast with a tumbler of milk, some rice flakes and a fruit, usually a banana. The maid waited nearby to hand her the herbal tonic that helped maintained her health and immunity.

Like the maids even Kashi  struggled to match the senior Peshwin's speed. When Rau was away on campaign things were more manageable but when he was in Saswad their late night exertions left Kashi exhausted and her eyes simply refused to open at dawn. It took every ounce of her willpower to leave the comfort of her bed, bathe and change into the sacramental saree called the sowaley, an obligatory garment to be worn only while performing the morning puja. After the puja she was free to change into her day clothes and have her breakfast. 

Meanwhile Radhabai went through any unseen mail received the previous day. Rau and Chimna has strict instructions to keep their mother posted about any developments during their campaign. Radhabai had years of experience analysing political events and gave valuable advice to her sons. If they were busy either Ramji Mahadev Bhanu, Balaji's confidential clerk or Ambaji Purandare, his principal agent wrote to her instead. Bhanu had died tragically a few months ago during the Delhi campaign but Ambaji Pant ensured that Radhabai was kept informed about anything important. 

Radha dipped the nib of her pen in the inkwell as she composed her reply to the mail. She wrote with a fairly legible hand but anyone reading her letters quickly realised that she was no calligrapher. Her hurried writing gave away the fact that her mind raced faster than her fingers did on the sheet of parchment. As soon as she had finished the letters she summoned the clerk to have them dispatched. It was now time to meet the court officials in charge of the daily administration to discuss any matters that needed her undivided attention. 

Kashi went to the kitchen to take stock of the supplies and to consult the kitchen clerk about purchasing provision. The cooks had to be instructed daily about the menu for the day's meals and the number of portions to be prepared. Once the kitchen began to act on her instructions Kashi met the housekeepers about the general and special cleaning jobs they were assigned for the day. She then waited patiently for Radhabai to send for her. She was summoned almost daily and was expected to give her feedback about managing the home and hearth. 

"Sit down beside me!" Radhabai could see her daughter-in-law hesitate for a while. One would have to be brave indeed to defy the formidable lady. Kashi sat down, keeping the end of her saree tightly wrapped around her body. This was a habit she had acquired in the previous few months. She had once found her mother-in-law staring at her neck, probably at the evidence of Rau's unbridled passion with which he marked Kashi at night. The poor girl was so embarrassed that when she returned to her own chamber she had tried everything she could think of- placing cucumber slices, banana peel and even rubbing turmeric over the hickeys to help them heal faster. To Radha's amusement every time she called for Kashi she carefully kept as much of her skin concealed as was possible.

Radha did not reveal her thoughts but it pleased her immensely to know that the equation between Kashi and Rau was as healthy as she would have expected. Their raging hormones meant a higher probability of Radha becoming a grandmother sooner. She kept an eye on Kashi's cycles and was disappointed to know that after Rau's previous visit Kashi had a period within a few days. Obviously Rau's schedule of arrival and departure had not corresponded with his wife's fertile period.

Even Bhiu, who had been duly dispatched to her in-laws after her puberty function, had not returned with the news of a missed period. And nothing could be expected from Rakhma- Chimna's wife- and little Anu yet. They were still children and had a long way to go. On her part Radhabai had borne Balaji five children. She lost one girl child but four of her offspring had survived. An heir was a ruler's most ardent desire, especially when the succession was expected to be hereditary.